Posted By David Harsanyi On November 11, 2009 @ 4:54 pm In Uncategorized | 57 Comments

Listen, as anyone who reads my column knows, I am no fan of Barack Obama’s policies. But if Colorado Republicans hope to make a substantive and persuasive argument regarding policy — and, more importantly, transform mainstream perceptions about their temperament and intent — they are going to have to eject people like Dave Schultheis.[1]Tout de suite.

Colorado State Sen. Dave Schultheis (R-Colorado Springs) posted a tweet yesterday that called for a derailing of President Obama’s agenda in a rather bold way. The blog Colorado Pols caught the statement from Schultheis’s account.

“Don’t for a second, think Obama wants what is best for U.S. He is flying the U.S. Plane right into the ground at full speed. Let’s Roll,” the tweet reads.

“Let’s roll” were the final words of Todd Beamer, a passenger aboard United Airlines Flight 93, one of the four flights hijacked on September 11 and the only one to crash before reaching its intended target. The flight was diverted to Washington, D.C. after it was hijacked, but crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers tried to thwart the hijackers.

Comparing the president to the terrorists that brought down Flight 93, need it be said, is a callously idiotic remark no matter how ramped up your disdain for Obama’s politics might be. Elected officials should know better, but, of course, but Schultheis (at least since I got here in 2004) has been working overtime[2] to make certain that everyone in Colorado thinks of Republicans as knuckledraggers.

Though Schultheis is on his way out[3], this is perfect opportunity for Republican leadership — perhaps those running for office — to strongly rebuke him.